When a reporter compared Lin-Manuel Miranda to Stephen Sondheim and William Shakespeare in the 2016 Tony Awards press room, the actor-composer explained, “I spent seven years writing this, so I want to hammer that home a lot. It takes a long time to get it into this kind of shape and that’s an enormous act of faith. We have tragic acts like [today’s mass murder in Orlando, Florida] when you realize tomorrow is not promised, and yet you endeavor to write things you know are going to take years.”

“Hamilton” won 11 Tonys out of its record 16 nominations. Two of those awards went to Miranda: Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical, which he adds to the Best Score prize he won in 2008 for “In the Heights.” Now “Hamilton” is inspiring new generations of artists, and that’s especially important to Miranda. “I want young people to start writing,” he said. That’s why we have 20,000 students seeing ‘Hamilton’ every year because I’m really excited about what they’re going to write.”

What did you think of the “Hamilton” Tony sweep? And do you think Miranda should have won Best Actor in a Musical as well (he lost that award to co-star Leslie Odom Jr.). Watch his press-room appearance above, and discuss the Tony Awards in our forums.